No limit for fish less than 27" TL.
Fish greater than 27" shall not be possessed.

All year

Spanish mackerel

14

15

All year

King mackerel

23

3

All year

Cobia

37

2

All year

Atlantic sturgeon

Moratorium

Moratorium

Moratorium

Black Sea Bass

12.5

25

May 22 - Oct 11 Nov 1 - Dec 31

Scup (Porgy)
Anglers aboard licensed party/charter boats

11

10
40***

June 8 - Sept 6 Sept 7 - Oct 11***

Scup (Porgy)
All other anglers

10.5

10

May 24 - Sept 26

American eel

6

50

All year

Monkfish (goose fish)

17
11 tail length

Any number

All year

American Shad

Possession Prohibited

Possession Prohibited

Possession Prohibited

Hickory Shad

No size limit

5

All year

Yellowtail flounder

13

No limit

All year

Oyster toadfish

10

3

July 16 - May 14

Horseshoe crabs

No size limit

5

All year

Blue Crab+
Hard Shell
Soft Shell
Peeler/Shedder++

4 1/2"
3 1/2"
3"

50

All year

All Other Crabs+

No size limit

50

All year

American lobster+ (Recreational permit required)

3 3/8" minimum carapace length 51/4" maximum carapace length

6

All year

*Anglers on board federally permitted party or charter vessels may
possess any number of Atlantic cod, consistent with federal rules.

** Marine waters -- South of George Washington Bridge

*** The customer of any party/charter boat who takes more than 10
scup from Sept 7 - Oct 11 or takes two striped bass from Apr 15 - Dec 15
must possess an original dated receipt from the licensed vessel.

+ Lobsters and crabs in spawn (eggs visible thereon) may not be taken or possessed.

++ Peeler or shedder crabs are hard blue crabs which have a fully
formed soft shell beneath the hard outer shell and the impending
shedding process is evidenced by the white sign along the outer rim of
the paddle-like appendages on the crab's fifth pair of legs.